Tiny Carriers, Remedy for unmet medical needs: Smart drug delivery systems for ocular and brain diseases
Ocular and central nervous system (CNS) diseases are major global health challenges, affecting billions of people and leading to significant disabilities. Ocular conditions like proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) result in vision loss in 8-10% of retinal detachment surgery patients. Moreover, CNS disorders contribute to 400 million years of disability-adjusted life, with traumatic brain injuries impacting over 60 million people annually. Despite medical advances, current treatments are limited because traditional treatments often fail to deliver drugs precisely where they are needed. Moreover, medicines are exposed all over the body, leading to inefficient results and harmful side effects.
This thesis is focused on developing smart nanocarriers using dendrimers for disease-specific targeting and drug delivery. Dendrimers are nanoscale, tiny, tree-like structures with controlled size, offering precise control over composition, shape, solubility, and surface functionality. These features make dendrimers a versatile platform for targeted drug delivery, allowing efficient attachment of payloads such as targeting ligands, imaging agents, and therapeutic molecules, providing an ideal platform for targeted drug delivery. In simple terms, dendrimers carry desired drugs directly to diseased cells. This approach exponentially improves drug solubility and reduces side effects due to precise delivery while improving treatment outcomes. Cell studies and preclinical studies in animal models have shown efficient targeting of our dendrimers to the injured brain and ocular regions and confirmed the delivery of drugs.
Ultimately, dendrimer-based nanomedicine has the potential to revolutionize the next generation of treatment for brain and ocular diseases, offering patient compliance and more effective therapies.
Shamila Gopalakrishnan, a first-generation college and graduate student, was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She earned her Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Chemistry from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2020, one of the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions. After graduation, she served as an Assistant Lecturer at the same university for two years, contributing to undergraduate education and research. In the spring of 2023, she began her PhD at Washington State University, where she quickly distinguished herself through academic excellence, passing her preliminary and qualifying exams ahead of the usual timeline with the highest GPA. As a doctoral candidate in Dr. Anjali Sharma’s lab, she is committed to developing innovative translational nanotherapeutics to address critical unmet medical needs. Her research focuses on advancing cutting-edge nanomedicine strategies with a strong emphasis on targeted drug delivery while integrating green and sustainable chemistry concepts to enhance therapeutic efficacy and environmental responsibility.